The invention relates to a control panel configuration for a motor vehicle having a cross member, which extends transversely to the vehicle longitudinal direction and is retained on fixed lateral construction structures, a control panel for coverage toward the vehicle interior and a knee retainer which has a fastening section, the knee retainer being fastened to the cross member, and which has a force adsorption section which extends essentially in the direction of the knee of a vehicle occupant.
Situating knee receivers behind the control panel, which are provided with deformation apparatus and are thus capable of energy absorption, is known from mass produced vehicles.
Thus, DE 101 46 495 B4 discloses a control panel configuration for a motor vehicle having a cross member and having four knee receivers that are fastened using a fastening section to the cross member and have an upstream deformation section. The deformation section is designed so as to be capable of targeted energy absorption together with a support wall whereby the knee of a vehicle occupant is extensively protected during a defined collision.
For other load cases, for example, upon incidence of an occupant not wearing a seatbelt, it is necessary that the control panel not yield too strongly to prevent misalignment of the knee airbag system.
An object of the invention, is therefore, to reduce in a control panel configuration for a motor vehicle an intrusion of the control panel for the load case of an occupant not wearing a seatbelt while maintaining the advantageous effect of the control panel.
This object has been achieved according to the invention by configuring a force absorption section of a knee retainer as a rod-shaped element that is loaded substantially longitudinally to its axis.
A control panel configuration according to the present invention includes a cross member, that extends transversely to the vehicle longitudinal direction and is retained on fixed, lateral construction structures. The control panel configuration is covered toward the vehicle interior with a control panel, one or more knee retainers being located behind the control panel. Each of the knee retainers is fastened using a fastening section to the cross member and has a force absorption section that extends essentially in the direction of the vehicle occupant's knee. According to the invention, as above noted, the knee retainer is a rod-shaped support element that is essentially only loaded longitudinally to its axis. Essentially thereby no transverse forces are transmitted by this simple component and a force absorption and/or relay occurs from the beginning. The rigid configuration of the knee retainer prevents control panel bottom parts from intruding through the knee of an occupant enough that the knee airbag system is misaligned.
For an initially soft behavior of the control panel configuration, the knee retainer may end at a distance to a support wall which is assigned to the control panel.
Easy mounting results if the fastening section of the knee retainer is configured as tubular, the internal contour of the fastening section being implemented corresponding to an attachment part of the cross member. It is also advantageous if the knee retainer is configured to be plugged on or not, depending on the equipment variant or vehicle market. Clipping or plugging the knee retainer onto the attachment part may be implemented easily using catch lugs that are provided on the fastening section and engage behind recesses provided for this purpose on the attachment part. To ensure during its mounting that the knee retainer assumes the correct position, guide grooves may be provided on the internal contour.
An especially rigid implementation of the knee retainer may preferably be achieved by a cross-section with a double T-profile.
In a currently preferred embodiment of the invention, the force absorption section terminates toward the support section with a circular front wall. The adjoining support section may be formed by intersecting ribs. An elastic support of the control panel may be achieved if a rubber element is put onto the support section, with this rubber element bridging the distance to the support wall.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.